Smoke rack



Nov. 24, 1964 J. J; THIMONS 3,158,265

SMOKE RACK Filed June 5, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIVVENTOR. JOSEPH J TH/MO/VS A Homey Nov. 24, 1964 J. J. THIMONS SMOKE RACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 5, 1962 INVEN TOR.

.1osspn .1. THIMONS W/Zkz Allorney United States Patent 3,158,265 SMOKE RACK Joseph J. Thimons, Tarentum, Pa., assignor to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed June 5, 1962, Ser. No. 200,112 3 Claims. (Cl. 211177) This invention relates to Smokehouse meat racks which are used for hanging meats when they are being cured or dried by smoke. Such smoke racks are usually large, rigid, and rectangular in shape. The racks are usually transported from place to place by either hanging them from a trolley on an overhead monorail or by rolling them about on casters. When not in use such bulky, rigid frames require considerable space for storage.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, economical, highly efiicient rack for Smokehouse purposes which may be transported easily, is relatively light in weight, and may be stored easily when not in use.

It is another object of this invention to provide a rack for smokehouse purposes that will hold a number of smoke sticks which can be spaced both horizontally and vertically simply and quickly, thereby utilizing the meatholding capacity of the rack to a maximum extent.

For a better understanding of the invention and its other details, objects and advantages, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of the smokehouse rack.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the rack of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of a portion of the rack shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line AA of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a slightly different form of the rack.

Referring to the drawings, particularly FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the smoke rack comprises a rigid frame 1 supported on a base 2 mounted on casters 3. The laterally spaced upright members 4 are supported on the base 2 and may be rigidly held in the upright position by braces 5. Each upright member 4 is provided with vertically spaced slots 6 along the marginal edges thereof. The slots 6 are arranged so that the slots in one upright member 4 are oppositely disposed and in substantially horizontal alignment with the slots of the other upright member. A horizontal spacing member 8 extends between the oppositely disposed upright members 4 and is attached to the upwardly extending terminal ends thereof.

The upright members 4, shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, are T-shaped in cross-section and therefore they have a vertical ridge 16, although the invention is not limited to that particular structural form. The upright members should, however, be sufficiently strong and rigid to withstand the weight when the rack is loaded with meat, as hereinafter described, and should also provide a generally flat surface for the hangers 7 to bear against when in interlocking engagement with slots 6 of the upright members 4. Likewise, the other frame members do not have to be the particular structural form shown in the drawing so long as they are sufiiciently strong and rigid.

The hangers 7 are removably mounted in the slots 6 of the upright members 4 and they may be raised or lowered by aligning the hangers 7 with the slots 6 corresponding to the desired height. Usually, a pair .of hangers, one on each upright member, are oppositely disposed and in substantially horizontal alignment with each other. Smoke sticks 10 extend between the oppositely disposed hangers 7 and they may be retained in spaced position, for example, by seating the ends thereof in spaced slots 11 in the hangers 7. Although FIGS. 1, 2 and 5 show two pairs of oppositely disposed hangers 7, any number can be used to best utilize the space available for hanging the meat. The smoke sticks used in this invention may be of the conventional type. The smoke sticks 10 shown in the drawings, particularly FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, have hook slots 12 to provide a simple, convenient means for loading and unloading the meat products.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper portion of the generally U-shaped hanger 7 is turned outwardly at 19 and upwardly at 20 and passes through slots 6 in the upright 4. The portion of the hanger extending beyond the rear side of the upright member 4 engages the rear side of the upright member when the hanger is in interlocking engagement with the slots 6. When the hanger 7 is in such interlocking engagement the lower portion 13 of the U- shaped hanger 7 bears against the front, generally flat surface 14 of the upright member 4.

As shown in FIG. 4 the hanger 7 has a cut away portion 15 through which the upright member 4 extends when the hanger is in interlocking engagement with the upright. The cut-away portion 15 permits the hanger 7 to be mounted on the upright member 4 and be supported on the upper edges of the slots 6.

FIG. 5 shows a slightly different embodiment of the invention. This embodiment of the invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with a conventional trolley and overhead monorail system. The substantially rectangular rigid frame 1' comprises laterally spaced upright members 4 supported on a base 2' and a spacing member 8' extending between and attached to the upwardly extending terminal ends of the upright members 4'. The hangers 7' and the method for attaching them to the upright members 4' are the same as previously described. Secured to the spacing member 8 may be a suitable means, such as for example a bracket 9, for attaching the rack to a trolley 17 which travels on a monorail 18.

What is claimed is:

1. A smoke rack comprising a base, a pair of spaced upright members providing oppositely disposed front faces supported on said base, said members each having a pair of horizontally spaced open-ended slots in the marginal edges of said oppositely disposed front faces, and a pair of oppositely disposed, horizontally aligned hangers having a lower portion of each hanger bearing against the front face of the upright member and having two spaced upper portions of each hanger turned outwardly and upwardly, each hanger being removably mounted in the said horizontally spaced slots of the upright members so that the said upper portions of the hanger engage the rear side of the upright member.

2. A smoke rack comprising a base, a pair of spaced upright members providing oppositely disposed front faces supported on said base, said members each having at least one pair of horizontally spaced open-ended slots in the marginal edges of said oppositely disposed front faces, at least one pair of oppositely disposed, horizontally aligned hangers having a lower portion of each hanger bearing against the front face of the upright member and having two spaced upper portions of each hanger turned outwardly and upwardly, each hanger being removably mounted in a pair of the said horizontally spaced slots of the upright members so that the said upper portions of the hanger engage the rear side of the upright member, and a plurality of smoke sticks extending between the oppositely disposed hangers.

3. A smoke rack combination according to claim 1 wherein the upright members have multiple, vertically spaced, pairs of horizontally spaced open-ended slots.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS White May 2, McFadden Nov. 21, Honold Jan. 25, Clouse Mar. 4, Borisof June 20, Pickens June 30,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain June 7, France May 26, 

1. A SMOKE RACK COMPRISING A BASE, A PAIR OF SPACED UPRIGHT MEMBERS PROVIDING OPPOSITELY DISPOSED FRONT FACES SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE, SAID MEMBERS EACH HAVING A PAIR OF HORIZONTALLY SPACED OPEN-ENDED SLOTS IN THE MARGINAL EDGES OF SAID OPPOSITELY DISPOSED FRONT FACES, AND A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED, HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED HANGERS HAVING A LOWER PORTION OF EACH HANGER BEARING AGAINST THE FRONT FACE OF THE UPRIGHT MEMBER AND HAVING TWO SPACED UPPER PORTIONS OF EACH HANGER TURNED OUTWARDLY AND UPWARDLY, EACH HANGER BEING REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN THE SAID HORIZONTALLY SPACED SLOTS OF THE UPRIGHT MEMBERS SO THAT THE SAID UPPER PORTIONS OF THE HANGER ENGAGE THE REAR SIDE OF THE UPRIGHT MEMBER. 